SARA CANNING AND DANIEL LISSING STAR IN ‘A CHRISTMAS STAR’ SET TO PREMIERE DECEMBER 12 EXCLUSIVELY ON GAC FAMILY
NEW YORK, NY – October 11, 2021 – GAC Family today announced Sara Canning (“9-1-1,” “Nancy Drew”) and Daniel Lissing (“The Rookie,” “When Calls the Heart”) will star in “A Christmas Star.” The new holiday film premieres December 12 at 8pm ET/PT as part of GAC Family’s “Great American Christmas” franchise.
In “A Christmas Star,” an astronomer, Madeline Baggett (Canning) searches for life beyond Earth, and when she believes she has found it, convinces her boss to allow her to travel to a small hamlet in Upstate New York where the scientist hopes to capture a once-in-a-lifetime event. With refractors, telescopes, and a small film crew in tow, Madeline arrives and sets up in Summit Ridge where she meets widowed National Park Ranger Ryan Sparks (Lissing) and his young daughter, Celeste. With Ryan’s help, Madeline begins to chart the celestial event which brings the pair closer to finding love under the stars.
Executive Producers of “A Christmas Star” are Brad Krevoy, Amanda Phillips, Eric Jarboe, Jimmy Townsend, Mike Moran, Daniel Lissing, Susie Belzberg Krevoy and Doran Chandler. Producer is Costa Vassos. Supervising Producers are Stacey N. Harding, Brad Goodman, Michael Shepard and Pricilla Yeo. Directed by Stacey N. Harding from an original screenplay by Amyn Kaderali.
GAC Family (formerly Great American Country) launched on September 27 under the tagline “Stories Well Told” and features family-friendly, holiday-themed movies and series that celebrate American culture, lifestyle and heritage.
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ABOUT GAC Media
GAC Media, LLC is home to Great American Channels: “GAC Family” Stories Well Told and “GAC Living” Life Well Lived. As the flagship service, GAC Family celebrates American culture, lifestyle and heritage with original holiday-themed, family-friendly movies and series. GAC Living is the unscripted companion to GAC Family that celebrates Great American family-friendly traditions every day and every season. GAC Media, LLC was established in June 2021 and was organized by Dallas-based Hicks Equity Partners LLC and Bill Abbott. Its ownership primarily consists of US-based family offices.
MERRITT PATTERSON AND TREVOR DONOVAN STAR IN ‘JINGLE BELL PRINCESS’ SET TO PREMIERE DECEMBER 4 ON GAC FAMILY
NEW YORK, NY – October 6, 2021 – GAC Family today announced Merritt Patterson (“Chateau Christmas,” “The Royals”) and Trevor Donovan (“Reagan,” “USS Christmas”) will star in the GAC Family original movie “Jingle Bell Princess.” The new holiday film premieres December 4 at 8pm ET/PT as part of GAC Family’s “Great American Christmas” franchise.
In “Jingle Bell Princess,” mechanical issues temporarily ground Princess Amelia’s (Patterson) royal jet. With the crew distracted attending to the repair, Amelia deplanes to walk through a magical Christmas tree lot on the airport’s perimeter. Soon she is chatting away with jovial owner, Harley and his adorable dog, Storm. Amelia looks at her watch, quickly realizing how much time has passed. Rushing to the runway, Amelia learns her jet departed believing she was onboard. A massive snowstorm moves in, grounding all air traffic in and out of Tucker, Maine. Amelia is devastated she may miss Christmas in her father’s kingdom. What looks like a royal catastrophe turns into an unforgettable holiday as Amelia is taken in by airline employee, Annie Cutler, and her son, Sam (Donovan). He’s a commoner and she’s a royal, but this Christmas, and Sam and Amelia’s shared attraction may cause this uncommon romance to take flight.
Executive producers of “Jingle Bell Princess” are Brad Krevoy, Amanda Phillips, Eric Jarboe, Amy Krell, Vince Balzano, Susie Belzberg Krevoy, and Kathy Ceroni. Producer is David Anselmo. Supervising Producers are W. Michael Beard and Michael Shepherd. Associate Producers are Kelly Martin and Kaitlyn Greenough. Don McBrearty directs from an original screenplay by James D. Hughes and Blaine Chiapetta. “Jingle Bell Princess” is adapted from His Jingle Bell Princess by Barbara Dunlop.
GAC Family (formerly Great American Country) launched on September 27 under the tagline “Stories Well Told” and features family-friendly, holiday-themed movies and series that celebrate American culture, lifestyle and heritage.
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ABOUT GAC Media
GAC Media, LLC is home to Great American Channels: “GAC Family” Stories Well Told and “GAC Living” Life Well Lived. As the flagship service, GAC Family celebrates American culture, lifestyle and heritage with original holiday-themed, family-friendly movies and series. GAC Living is the unscripted companion to GAC Family that celebrates Great American family-friendly traditions every day and every season. GAC Media, LLC was established in June 2021 and was organized by Dallas-based Hicks Equity Partners LLC and Bill Abbott. Its ownership primarily consists of US-based family offices.
JILL WAGNER AND NICK BATEMAN STAR IN “A CHRISTMAS MIRACLE FOR DAISY” SET TO PREMIERE DECEMBER 11 EXCLUSIVELY ON GAC FAMILY
NEW YORK, NY – October 5, 2021 – GAC Family today announced Jill Wagner (“Mystery 101,” “Christmas in Evergreen”) and Nick Bateman (“Gambit: Playing for Keeps,” “A Brush with Love”) will star in a GAC Family original movie “A Christmas Miracle for Daisy”(wt). The new holiday movie premieres December 11 at 8pm ET/PT as part of GAC Family’s “Great American Christmas” franchise.
In “A Christmas Miracle for Daisy,” Whitney Alder (Wagner) owns interior design firm, Marietta Designs, which she runs with her friend Andi (Tegan Moss, “Aurora Teagarden Mysteries”) in the small town of Marietta, Montana. Whitney is designing Santa’s float for the annual Marietta Christmas Parade when a potential job opportunity comes her way: the full redesign of a landmark home by Christmas Eve. Despite the challenge, Whitney and Andi sign onto the job – only to discover the home’s new owner is Whitney’s ex-boyfriend, Connor Sheenan (Bateman), who has moved to town from Los Angeles with his bright-eyed, young daughter, Daisy (Rubi Tupper). Connor had no intention of becoming a family man, but when his goddaughter is orphaned, he adopts her and commits to becoming a devoted single dad. More than anything, Daisy wishes for a mom to complete her picture-perfect family, and no prospect is as perfect as Whitney. Tall order, but Christmas is a time for miracles.
“A Christmas Miracle for Daisy” is Executive Produced by Brad Krevoy, Amanda Phillips, Eric Jarboe, Vince Balzano, Jill Wagner, Susie Belzberg Krevoy, and Mike Rohl. Supervising Producers are Anthony Epp, Jonathan Shore, and Michael Shepherd. Producer is Donald Munroe. Associate Producer is Rob Grant. Mike Rohl directs from the original teleplay by J.B. White which is adapted from Jane Porter’s novel, A Christmas Miracle for Daisy.
GAC Family (formerly Great American Country) launched on September 27 under the tagline “Stories Well Told” and features family-friendly, holiday-themed movies and series that celebrate American culture, lifestyle and heritage.
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ABOUT GAC Media
GAC Media, LLC is home to Great American Channels: “GAC Family” Stories Well Told and “GAC Living” Life Well Lived. As the flagship service, GAC Family celebrates American culture, lifestyle and heritage with original holiday-themed, family-friendly movies and series. GAC Living is the unscripted companion to GAC Family that celebrates Great American family-friendly traditions every day and every season. GAC Media, LLC was established in June 2021 and was organized by Dallas-based Hicks Equity Partners LLC and Bill Abbott. Its ownership primarily consists of US-based family offices.
DANIEL LISSING ADDED TO CAST OF “WHEN HOPE CALLS” SEASON 2 TWO-PART PREMIERE SET FOR DECEMBER 18 ON GAC FAMILY IN THE U.S. AND ON SUPER CHANNEL HEART AND HOME IN CANADA
NEW YORK, NY – October 4, 2021 – GAC Family today announced Daniel Lissing (“When Calls the Heart,” “The Rookie”) will guest star with Lori Loughlin (“When Calls the Heart,” “Fuller House”) and Carter Ryan (“When Calls the Heart”) in the two-part premiere of “When Hope Calls” Season 2. The announcement was made today by Bill Abbott, President & CEO of GAC Media.
GAC Family (formerly Great American Country) launched on September 27 under the tagline “Stories Well Told” and features family-friendly, holiday-themed movies and series that celebrate American culture, lifestyle and heritage. GAC Family is the exclusive home to the new season of “When Hope Calls” in the U.S. and Super Channel Heart & Home will exclusively broadcast the series across Canada.
“When Hope Calls” is a historical drama series set in 1916 Brookfield, a fictional, small Western prairie town of largely cattle ranchers and farmers in an era where tradition sometimes conflicts with the ambitions of a growing city. Morgan Kohan returns in season two as Lillian Walsh, a former orphan who now runs the local orphanage and creates a loving, stable home for the children in her care. Ryan-James (RJ) Hatanaka returns as Mountie Gabriel Winslow. Wendy Crewson will return to star as Tess Stewart. Hanneke Talbot is Maggie Parson. Neil Crone is Ronnie Stewart. Jefferson Brown is Joe Moody.
Executive Producers of “When Hope Calls” are Brad Krevoy, Brian Bird, Michael Landon, Jr., Alfonso H. Moreno, and David Anselmo. Producer is Kym Crepin. Supervising Producers are W. Michael Beard and Michael Shepard. Director is Bradley Walsh. The spinoff series is created by Alfonso H. Moreno.
The “When Hope Calls” Season One cable debut in February 2020 averaged a 2.0 household rating and 2 million Total Viewers. [Source: Nielsen, February 23, 2020]
Additional guest stars will be announced at a later date.
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About GAC Media
GAC Media, LLC is home to Great American Channels: “GAC Family” Stories Well Told and “GAC Living” Life Well Lived. As the flagship service, GAC Family celebrates American culture, lifestyle and heritage with original holiday-themed, family-friendly movies and series. GAC Living is the unscripted companion to GAC Family that celebrates Great American family-friendly traditions every day and every season. GAC Media, LLC was established in June 2021 and was organized by Dallas-based Hicks Equity Partners LLC and Bill Abbott. Its ownership primarily consists of US-based family offices.
About Super Channel Entertainment Network
Super Channel is a national pay television network, offering subscribers exceptional entertainment value, uncut and commercial-free, with four diverse channels – Super Channel Fuse, Super Channel Heart & Home, Super Channel Vault and GINX Esports TV Canada – plus, access to Super Channel On Demand where available by service provider.
Super Channel’s mission is to entertain and engage Canadian audiences by providing a unique and exclusive entertainment experience. With a core foundation of integrity and accountability, we dedicate ourselves to implementing innovative programming strategies and unparalleled teamwork that provides viewers with exceptional value and variety.
Super Channel is owned by Allarco Entertainment 2008 Inc., an Edmonton-based media company. For a list of service providers, please visit: superchannel.ca/subscribe
GAC FAMILY ANNOUNCES ORIGINAL SERIES ‘WHEN HOPE CALLS’ SEASON TWO SET TO PREMIERE DECEMBER 18 LORI LOUGHLIN REPRISES BELOVED CHARACTER IN RETURN TO TELEVISION
NEW YORK, NY – September 28, 2021 – GAC Family today announced season two of the hit series “When Hope Calls” will premiere exclusively on the network this holiday season. Lori Loughlin (“When Calls the Heart,” “Fuller House”) is set to guest star in the original series reprising the role of her beloved TV character, Abigail Stanton. The two-part premiere titled “When Hope Calls: A Country Christmas” debuts Saturday, December 18. The announcement was made today by Bill Abbott, President & CEO of GAC Media.
GAC Family (formerly Great American Country) launched on September 27 under the tagline “Stories Well Told” and features family-friendly, holiday-themed movies and series that celebrate American culture, lifestyle and heritage.
“When Hope Calls” is set in Brookfield, a town on the western prairie with a deep sense of acceptance, love, and family, and is a TV spinoff of award-winning author Janette Oke’s novel series, “When Calls the Heart”. In the World Premiere of “When Hope Calls: A Country Christmas, Part 1,” a Christmas festival worthy of Harper’s Bazaar happens in Brookfield as the community is one of three contenders in the magazine’s search for America’s #1 Country Christmas Town. The entire town is preoccupied with creating the essence of Christmas for the photojournalist’s lens, though, behind the scenes, residents are not living the spiritof the season. In the midst of the fuss, a stagecoach appears, and out steps Abigail Stanton and her son, Cody who have brought a troubled boy to Lillian’s orphanage. Episode 201 of “When Hope Calls” premieres Saturday, December 18 at 8 pm ET/PT.
In the World Premiere of “When Hope Calls: A Country Christmas, Part 2,” photojournalist Paul Franklin is wrapping his research on the community of Brookfield as a contender for America’s #1 Country Christmas Town. By now, Paul blends in as the town prepares for Christmas Eve. Lillian, the orphans, and Gabriel are running out of options to restore the troubled boy’s hope for better times. Just when all seems lost, a secret Santa appears to fulfill all holiday wishes, and Abigail has a profound conversation with a dear friend from the past. Meanwhile, Paul’s lens is recording every miraculous moment. Episode 202 of “When Hope Calls” premieres Saturday, December 18 at 9 pm ET/PT.
Executive Producers of “When Hope Calls” are Brad Krevoy, Brian Bird, Michael Landon, Jr., Alfonso H. Moreno, Kaitlyn Greenough, and David Anselmo. Producer is Kym Crepin. Supervising Producers are W. Michael Beard and Michael Shepard. Director is Bradley Walsh. The spinoff series is created by Alfonso H. Moreno.
The “When Hope Calls” Season One cable debut in February 2020 averaged a 2.0 household rating and 2 million Total Viewers. [Source: Nielsen, February 23, 2020]
Additional casting information will be announced at a later date.
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ABOUT GAC Media
GAC Media, LLC is home to Great American Channels: “GAC Family” Stories Well Told and “GAC Living” Life Well Lived. As the flagship service, GAC Family celebrates American culture, lifestyle and heritage with original holiday-themed, family-friendly movies and series. GAC Living is the unscripted companion to GAC Family that celebrates Great American family-friendly traditions every day and every season. GAC Media, LLC was established in June 2021 and was organized by Dallas-based Hicks Equity Partners LLC and Bill Abbott. Its ownership primarily consists of US-based family offices.
GAC FAMILY ANNOUNCES NEW HOLIDAY FRANCHISE “GREAT AMERICAN CHRISTMAS”
All-New Christmas Special WELCOME TO GREAT AMERICAN CHRISTMAS, Hosted By Debbie Matenopoulos & Cameron Mathison,and New Original Movie A KINDHEARTED CHRISTMAS, starring Cameron Mathison & Jennie Garth Added To Growing Christmas Slate
NEW YORK, NY – September 15, 2021 – GAC Family today announced “Great American Christmas” as the network’s first franchise presenting original holiday themed movies and specials headlined by top stars fans have come to know and love.
Kicking off the franchise will be “Welcome to Great American Christmas,” a new special with hosts Debbie Matenopoulos (“The View,” “Home & Family”) and Cameron Mathison (“Home & Family,” “General Hospital”) premiering Sunday, October 24 at 8pm ET/PT. The special will give viewers exclusive previews of upcoming GAC Family “Great American Christmas” movies and will feature celebrity guests stopping by for a holiday “hello” and to share a special Christmas craft or recipe. “Welcome to Great American Christmas” is directed by Leon Knoles.
Also added to the “Great American Christmas” slate is “A Kindhearted Christmas,” starring Cameron Mathison and Jennie Garth (“BH90210,” “What I Like About You”) premiering Saturday, November 20 at 8pm ET/PT.
In “A Kindhearted Christmas,” Jamie (Garth) owns a sightseeing and tour company in the small town of Cooperville, New York. Navigating the holidays with enthusiasm is trickier for Jamie since her husband Matt passed. Matt loved Christmas and found unparalleled joy in giving to others. While reminiscing with family, Jamie realizes the town desperately needs someone with Matt’s genius for thinking of the small gestures that bring genuine happiness to the holidays. While watching her favorite news program, “Wake Up Upstate,” or more importantly, the show’s handsome TV anchor, Scott (Mathison), Jamie learns about a neighboring high school’s fundraising goal and spontaneously gifts the entire amount – anonymously. Jamie’s anonymous gift sparks another and another until the entire town gets into the spirit. News of the generous gift giving draws Jamie’s TV crush to Cooperville seeking to do some serious reporting on the identity of the secret Santa. What isn’t a secret is that Jamie and Scott will discover each other just in time for Christmas. Executive Producers of “A Kindhearted Christmas” are Brad Krevoy, Amanda Phillips, Eric Jarboe, Tara Cowell-Plain, Jimmy Townsend, Cara J. Russell, Susie Belzberg Krevoy, Michael Shepherd and Doran Chandler. Producer is Mick McKay. Supervising Producer is Jonathan Shore. Associate Producer is Rob Grant. Directed by Alyssa Leite-Rogers. Story by Jennifer Barrow. Original teleplay by Jennifer Barrow and Amyn Kaderali.
GAC Family is set to launch on September 27 under the tagline “Stories Well Told” and will feature programming that celebrates American culture, lifestyle and heritage with original holiday-themed, family-friendly movies and series.
Additional holiday movies and specials will be announced at a later date.
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ABOUT GAC Media
GAC Media, LLC is home to Great American Channels: “GAC Family” Stories Well Told and “GAC Living” Life Well Lived. As the flagship service, GAC Family celebrates American culture, lifestyle and heritage with original holiday-themed, family-friendly movies and series. GAC Living is the unscripted companion to GAC Family that celebrates Great American family-friendly traditions every day and every season. GAC Media, LLC was established in June 2021 and was organized by Dallas-based Hicks Equity Partners LLC and Bill Abbott. Its ownership primarily consists of US-based family offices.
GAC FAMILY UNVEILS NETWORK’S FIRST ORIGINAL MOVIES
AN AUTUMN ROMANCE, Starring Chad Michael Murray, Jessica Lowndes, Dennis Andres, Moni Ogunsuyi & Michael Brown
MUCH ADO ABOUT CHRISTMAS, Starring Susie Abromeit & Torrance Coombs
CHRISTMAS TIME IS HERE, Starring Dewshane Williams, Rukiya Bernard & Tom Pickett
NEW YORK, NY – September 8, 2021 – GAC Family today announced the network’s first three original movies debuting this fall. The star-studded films kick off with An Autumn Romance, starring Chad Michael Murray, Jessica Lowndes, Dennis Andres, Moni Ogunsuyi and Michael Brown, premiering October 23; followed by all-new Christmas movies Much Ado About Christmas, starring Susie Abromeit and Torrance Coombs on October 30; and Christmas Time is Here, starring Dewshane Williams, Rukiya Bernard and Tom Pickett on November 13.
GAC Family is set to launch on September 27 under the tagline “Stories Well Told” and will feature programming that celebrates American culture, lifestyle and heritage with original holiday-themed, family-friendly movies and series.
Full descriptions of the movies can be found below. Additional holiday movies and specials will be announced at a later date.
AN AUTUMN ROMANCE
Starring Jessica Lowndes & Chad Michael Murray
In “An Autumn Romance,” when Seattle-based librarian Taylor Harris (Lowndes) suddenly loses her job, she travels to Montana to visit her brother Craig (Andres) and his wife Christine (Ogunsuyi) and quickly finds herself immersed in her brother’s effort to save the Graff Hotel, which has been purchased by tech tycoon Joel Sheenan (Murray) and his associate, Ray Dixon (Brown). The town of Forest Ridge, Montana is split on Joel’s decision to turn the once quaint hotel into an upscale property for tourists. To protect the hotel’s charm and her brother’s place of employment, Taylor goes on a search to find a significant historical event that will qualify the hotel for landmark status and prevent the City Council from issuing permits for its renovation. With the clock ticking, Taylor seizes on a photograph that has the potential to verify the property’s historical value while also providing an invaluable piece of personal history to the hotel’s new owner. Executive Producers of “An Autumn Romance” are Brad Krevoy, Chad Michael Murray, Jessica Lowndes, James Moorhouse, Susie Belzberg Krevoy, Bradley Walsh, Amanda Phillips, Amy Krell, and Eric Jarboe. Producer is David Anselmo. Associate Producers Julie Currie, Charles H. Cohen, and David Golden. Supervising Producers are W. Michael Beard, Allan Fung, and David Lowe. Bradley Walsh directs from Emily Golden’s adaptation of Jane Porter’s novel, The Tycoon’s Kiss.
Premieres: Saturday, October 23, 2021 at 8pm ET/PT
MUCH ADO ABOUT CHRISTMAS
Starring Susie Abromeit & Torrance Coombs
In “Much Ado About Christmas,” Haley is beloved in her community of Winterstone for acts of kindness ranging from managing The Hope Chest to directing the children’s choir. Haley is also the daughter of one of Winterstone’s wealthiest residents Leona Lloyd. Despite Haley’s down-to-earth demeanor, she is financially set as Leona’s only heir – information she fails to share with new love interest Claud, an artsy, hopeless romantic. Haley introduces herself to Claud as “Haley Logan,” raised by a single, struggling mom, a small fib that becomes a complication when Claud and his team present an ad pitch to Leona that includes a photo of Claud’s new girlfriend…Haley! Secrets are revealed and relationships ruffled, but Christmas is coming and miracles do happen. “Much Ado About Christmas” is executive produced by Brad Krevoy, Eric Jarboe, Amy Krell, Lorenzo Nardini, Amanda Phillips, Brad Southwick, and Jimmy Townsend. The film is directed by Michael Damian from an original teleplay by Michael Damian. Producer is Janeen Damian.
Premieres: Saturday, October 30, 2021 at 8pm ET/PT
CHRISTMAS TIME IS HERE
Starring Dewshane Williams, Rukiya Bernard & Tom Pickett
In “Christmas Time Is Here,” Nia Moore (Bernard), a successful small-town realtor, has her heart set on closing a big sale on a new resort for her client, Julian Parsons (Williams), just in time for Christmas. There is only one hitch. No matter how many properties in Pine Valley Nia shows Julian, he keeps coming back to the one resort that isn’t for sale…the one belonging to Nia’s widower dad, Patrick (Pickett). Patrick would like to sell the property and retire. It’s Nia who cannot let go of memories of an idyllic time in life when her mom was still alive and very much a part of the resort. Julian realizes Nia’s reluctance to sell the property, but it may not matter. Julian’s impatient boss has come to Pine Valley intent on getting the deal done before Christmas. At risk of losing his job, Julian comes up with a magical plan for saving Nia’s family’s resort. Executive Producers of “Christmas Time Is Here” are Brad Krevoy, Amanda Phillips, Eric Jarboe, Lorenzo Nardini, Tara Cowell-Plain, Susie Belzberg Krevoy, Jimmy Townsend, and Rick Garman. Supervising Producers are Christie W. Wolf, Jonathan Shore, Doran Chandler, and Michael Shepherd. Associate Producer Rob Grant. Catherine Kretz produces. Christie W. Wolf directs from the screenplay written by Joel & Lisa Canfield.
Premieres: Saturday, November 13, 2021 at 8pm ET/PT
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ABOUT GAC Media
GAC Media, LLC is home to Great American Channels: “GAC Family” Stories Well Told and “GAC Living” Life Well Lived. As the flagship service, GAC Family celebrates American culture, lifestyle and heritage with original holiday-themed, family-friendly movies and series. GAC Living is the unscripted companion to GAC Family that celebrates Great American family-friendly traditions every day and every season. GAC Media, LLC was established in June 2021 and was organized by Dallas-based Hicks Equity Partners LLC and Bill Abbott. Its ownership primarily consists of US-based family offices.
GAC MEDIA NAMES PAUL BRENNAN SENIOR VICE PRESIDENT OF AD SALES AND ELIZABETH SANTOS DIRECTOR OF PRICING AND PLANNING
New Hires Bolster Ad Sales Team as Company Readies Launch of GAC Family and GAC Living on September 27
NEW YORK, NY – September 1, 2021 – GAC Media today announced the appointment of Paul Brennan as Senior Vice President of Ad Sales and Elizabeth Santos as Director of Pricing and Planning. The pair of industry veterans bolster GAC’s Ad Sales team as the company prepares to launch new flagship networks GAC Family and GAC Living. Brennan and Santos will be based in New York and report to Kristen Roberts, Chief Revenue Officer and Executive Vice President of Programming.
Brennan is charged with developing advanced advertising solutions for GAC Media’s linear and digital platforms, driving revenue growth and strategic cross-channel planning, and will collaborate with Roberts and the senior management team to develop and analyze business priorities and revenue goals.
Santos will establish and execute pricing, inventory, and packaging strategies aimed at garnering full revenue potential for GAC’s premium original entertainment. She will also focus on campaign optimization and identifying new ad sales opportunities.
“Paul and Elizabeth are seasoned executives who have proven track records for adapting and driving results as the media industry continues to rapidly change,” said Roberts. “I look forward to their immediate impact on our business as they deliver innovative and impactful marketing solutions for our partners.”
Prior to joining GAC Media, Brennan spent more than 16 years at Sony Pictures Entertainment, most recently as SVP of Ad Sales where he was responsible for national ad sales across Sony’s Syndicated Portfolio including off-network comedies, daytime, first run, game shows and court programs. Prior to that, Brennan served as Account Executive at Hallmark Channel.
Santos previously served as Director of Pricing and Inventory for a4 Media where she established and executed pricing strategy for ad sales and direct response. Prior to that, she was Vice President of Pricing and Inventory at ION Media Networks and also spent 15 years at Univision, most recently serving as VP of Ad Sales Pricing.
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ABOUT GAC MEDIA
GAC Media LLC is a content company dedicated to quality family friendly content that celebrates Americana across its flagship brands, GAC Family and GAC Living. GAC Family is a 24-hour cable network that is home to premium original movies and specials that celebrate relationships and the emotional connections characteristic of seasons and occasions. GAC Living is a companion network featuring high-quality unscripted content with a focus on southern and country living. GAC Media was established in June 2021 and was organized by Dallas-based Hicks Equity Partners LLC.
GAC MEDIA ANNOUNCES NEW FLAGSHIP NETWORKS GAC FAMILY AND GAC LIVING
Family Friendly Brands Set to Launch Across Platforms on September 27
NEW YORK, NY – August 26, 2021 – GAC Media today announced the launch of GAC Family and GAC Living as the company’s flagship networks and new destinations for family friendly programming across platforms. The announcement was made today by Bill Abbott, President & CEO of GAC Media.
GAC Family and GAC Living will launch on September 27th and evolve from the newly acquired Great American Country and Ride TV networks, respectively. As two distinct brands, GAC Family and GAC Living will be the foundation for GAC Media’s effort to revitalize and invest in timeless and entertaining programming that celebrates Americana.
“At GAC we’re focused on creating strong brands, compelling programming and a consistent family friendly viewing experience across multiple genres,” said Abbott. “The launch of GAC Family and GAC Living is the next phase in our strategy to bolster the company’s portfolio with networks that deliver on the promise of safe and entertaining storytelling that enriches lives.”
GAC Family will focus on the tagline “Stories Well Told” and will continue in the legacy of Great American Country to include scripted content that captures American culture, lifestyle and heritage. GAC Family programming will evolve to include a slate of family friendly original movies and series that celebrate relationships and the emotional connections related to holidays, seasons and occasions.
GAC Living will continue to offer high-quality, unscripted lifestyle content while expanding to serve as the unscripted companion to GAC Family. With tagline “Life Well Lived,” GAC Living will draw on established themes and talent to highlight celebrations and seasons with a focus on southern and country living.
Programming slates for GAC Family and GAC Living will be announced at a later date.
ABOUT GAC MEDIA
GAC Media LLC is a content company dedicated to quality family friendly content that celebrates Americana across its flagship brands, GAC Family and GAC Living. GAC Family is a 24-hour cable network that is home to premium original movies and specials that celebrate relationships and the emotional connections characteristic of seasons and occasions. GAC Living is a companion network featuring high-quality unscripted content with a focus on southern and country living. GAC Media was established in June 2021 and was organized by Dallas-based Hicks Equity Partners LLC.
Newly-formed Investor Group, GAC Media, Acquires Great American Country From Discovery, Inc.
GAC Media Also Acquires RIDE TV; Industry Veteran Bill Abbott Recruited as CEO to Drive Growth for Iconic, Family-Focused Programming
DALLAS, June 7, 2021 — GAC Media, LLC, a newly-formed group of US-based investors today announced that it has acquired the Great American Country (“GAC”) Network from Discovery, Inc. GAC’s format includes lifestyle programming and is available in approximately 40 million television households. Contemporaneous with its acquisition of GAC, GAC Media has also acquired RIDE TV, a 24-hour, high-definition television network dedicated to showcasing equestrian sports, culture and lifestyle.
Together, GAC and RIDE TV constitute the first two channels in GAC Media’s larger effort to revitalize and invest in family-friendly programming that is both timeless and entertaining. Bill Abbott, an industry veteran who has operated and launched several cable channels that became highly profitable ratings leaders, especially in the area of Christmas content, will run GAC and RIDE TV moving forward as President & CEO. Among other key initiatives, Mr. Abbott will oversee a prompt review of additional content opportunities while leading growth initiatives in advertising and distribution.
Mr. Abbott commented, “Even as the entertainment ecosystem continues to rapidly evolve – both in terms of distribution platforms and underlying content – consumer interest in family friendly programming that enriches lives and offers safe entertainment options remains as strong as ever. GAC and RIDE TV represent cornerstone assets in this respect, and we look forward to growing both channels even as we pursue the larger goal of establishing new, well-resourced and engaging family-friendly programming.”
GAC Media was organized by Dallas-based Hicks Equity Partners LLC (“HEP”) and Mr. Abbott and includes US-based family offices. Deal terms for GAC and the RIDE TV acquisitions, both of which have closed, were not disclosed.
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About Hicks Equity Partners LLC
Hicks Equity Partners LLC is the private equity arm of the Thomas O. Hicks family office. With more than 40 years of private equity experience, Mr. Hicks was an early pioneer of the “buy and build” strategy of investing and co-founded Hicks Muse Tate & Furst, which raised more than $12 billion of private equity across six funds and completed over $50 billion of leveraged acquisitions. HEP looks for established companies with proven track records, strong free cash flow characteristics, a strong competitive industry position and an experienced management team looking to partner with long-term capital.
About Discovery, Inc.
Discovery, Inc. (Nasdaq: DISCA, DISCB, DISCK) is a global leader in real life entertainment, serving a passionate audience of superfans around the world with content that inspires, informs and entertains. Discovery delivers over 8,000 hours of original programming each year and has category leadership across deeply loved content genres around the world. Available in over 220 countries and territories and nearly 50 languages, Discovery is a platform innovator, reaching viewers on all screens, including TV Everywhere products such as the GO portfolio of apps; direct-to-consumer streaming services such as discovery+, Food Network Kitchen and MotorTrend OnDemand; digital-first and social content from Group Nine Media; a landmark natural history and factual content partnership with the BBC; and a strategic alliance with PGA TOUR to create the international home of golf. Discovery’s portfolio of premium brands includes Discovery Channel, HGTV, Food Network, TLC, Investigation Discovery, Travel Channel, MotorTrend, Animal Planet, Science Channel, and the forthcoming multi-platform JV with Chip and Joanna Gaines, Magnolia Network, as well as OWN: Oprah Winfrey Network in the U.S., Discovery Kids in Latin America, and Eurosport, the leading provider of 3 locally relevant, premium sports and Home of the Olympic Games across Europe. For more information, please visit corporate.discovery.com and follow @DiscoveryIncTV across social platforms.
